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Author
Topic: You Deserve A Break Today (Read 7113 times)

An online hoax that falsely suggests McDonald's discriminates against African-American customers is causing a PR headache for the Golden Arches.

Over the weekend, the photograph above circulated widely on the internet. The image shows what looks like an official McDonald's notice in the window of a restaurant, telling customers that blacks will be charged $1.50 extra "as an insurance measure due in part to a recent string of robberies."

Many internet users retweeted the photo, using the words "Seriously McDonald's," to express their disapproval of the burger chain.

In response, McDonald's sent a tweet of its own on Saturday: "That pic is a senseless & ignorant hoax McD's values ALL our customers. Diversity runs deep in our culture on both sides of the counter."

But that clearly wasn't enough to clear things up, because Twitter users continued to send out the picture, with that same message of condemnation: "Seriously McDonald's." Indeed, so many people sent "Seriously McDonald's" Tweets that the phrase became a leading entry on Twitter's trend list.

That led to a second, blunter McTweet, on Sunday: "That Seriously McDonalds picture is a hoax."

The latest pushback effort seems to have helped keep the photo from spreading too much further--but there's no telling how many people out there still think the photo is for real.

This is hardly the only recent barrage of negative publicity for the burger behemoth--some of it more justified. McDonalds CEO Jim Skinner recently was forced to defend the company's renewed use of the Ronald McDonald mascot to appeal to children, after critics said the restaurant's fat-laden burgers and fries endanger kids' health.

It's not clear who created the hoax image. It appears to have first showed up on the popular 4chan message board, and it was posted last year on an anti-McDonald's blog.

But there's no doubt it's fake. As some Twitter users have pointed out, the toll-free number given at the bottom of the sign is actually the number for ... Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Seroconverted: Early 80sTested & confirmed what I already knew: early 90s

Current regimen: Atripla. Last regimen: Epzicom, Sustiva (since its inception with NO adverse side effects: no vivid dreams and NONE of the problems people who can't tolerate this drug may experience: color me lucky )Past regimensFun stuff (in the past): HAV/HBV, crypto, shingles, AIDS, PCP

Nearly all of those phone numbers go to the very same building located right here just outside of Atlanta. They just ring up on the phones differently depending on which number was dialed. Pizza Hut, Hardee's, KFC...and that mess.

I'm amazed at how many people will instantly believe anything they see on the net. A surcharge for black people?

I still haven't tried that place but everyone I know raves about them.

Only fast food place I go to anymore (unless I'm traveling on an interstate). Pricier though, but that's because their standard burger is a double, and the order of fries (which are fresh cut potatoes) is massive. I never can finish the fries. It's also about the toppings selection, and they don't charge extra for them either so all in all it's not a bad deal.

"I have tried hard--but life is difficult, and I am a very useless person. I can hardly be said to have an independent existence. I was just a screw or a cog in the great machine I called life, and when I dropped out of it I found I was of no use anywhere else."

Funny that as you typed this there was a minor crash in front of the restaurant where I'm having lunch. It has never really stressed me out much; don't forget that I moved to Miami from New York. And I lived in South America, where driving is pretty much a survival of the fittest endeavour. Nothing fazes me.

Logged

"I have tried hard--but life is difficult, and I am a very useless person. I can hardly be said to have an independent existence. I was just a screw or a cog in the great machine I called life, and when I dropped out of it I found I was of no use anywhere else."

BIG TWINKIE POINTS if you know (without looking it up) where this monologue came from:

". . .Why, oh why do we pay taxes, huh?! Just so we can have bloody parking restrictions, and bloody ugly traffic wardens, and bollocky pedestrian bloody crossings!!...Why not just have a "Stupidity Tax?" Just tax the stupid people!!"

LEXINGTON, N.C. -- For patrons at a Lexington diner, it doesn't get much clearer: if you don't speak English, you won't get service. A sign, posted on the door at the Reedy Creek Family Diner off Highway 150, warns guests that the staff is only prepared to converse with those who speak "American." "God bless America and all who those who protect and serve our great country. We only speak and understand American," the sign says. Owner Greg Simons, who bought the restaurant in June, said a month ago an exchange between a Latino customer who couldn't speak English and the staff made his employees feel uncomfortable. A second exchange with a group of Spanish-speaking customers was the tipping point, Simons said, prompting him to put up the sign.Simons claimed the sign has nothing to do with race. "Everyones' money is green. This is not a racial barrier," he said...

The restaurant's owner received numerous threats and took the sign down. The story made national news and he received support and put the sign back up. He reports business increased. Last week he closed the restaurant citing failing health of his mother.

In this type of economic climate, I'm not sure whether these people want to alienate a segment of population willing to spend money.

If I ran a business, I'd be like "order in Swahili if you want". IDFC. I'll take your money.

Does that make me a whore?

So I really don't think this is "Those damned non english speaking people are ruining our country and I refuse to serve them!", but probably more along the lines of "I have no idea what you're trying to order and you will take up an inordinate amount of my time because of your inability to communicate with me in my native tongue".

I could be wrong, but I've been in the situation where someone was unable to speak, didn't speak english, had a cajun accent that was so thick that even I (a native louisianian) couldn't decipher what they were attempting to say. If you know that communication is going to be an issue why wouldn't you think ahead to bring something to write on/with, maybe a spanish-> English dictionary, or for the love of christ just point to pictures on the menu if there were any pictures.

I run a dining car for you-know-who and we get a lot of people from outside of the country. Some of them do not speak a word of English. I have never found myself impatient to a point where I felt they were a nuisance or taking up too much of my valuable time.

I run a dining car for you-know-who and we get a lot of people from outside of the country. Some of them do not speak a word of English. I have never found myself impatient to a point where I felt they were a nuisance or taking up too much of my valuable time.

I'm sorry but this clearly has some bigoted origins. Just MHO.

Really? Maybe I have no patience but I am to the point of wanting to throw things when after minutes of attempted conversation someone is just smiling like an idiot at me.

But if you look at the picture, you'll see phrases like, "I want my country back", or "This is America - speak English". That just doesn't seem like someone innocently feeling a little impatient about having to figure out what his customer wants to order.

So I really don't think this is "Those damned non english speaking people are ruining our country and I refuse to serve them!", but probably more along the lines of "I have no idea what you're trying to order and you will take up an inordinate amount of my time because of your inability to communicate with me in my native tongue".

I could be wrong, but I've been in the situation where someone was unable to speak, didn't speak english, had a cajun accent that was so thick that even I (a native louisianian) couldn't decipher what they were attempting to say. If you know that communication is going to be an issue why wouldn't you think ahead to bring something to write on/with, maybe a spanish-> English dictionary, or for the love of christ just point to pictures on the menu if there were any pictures.

Actually you're wrong, at least in the case of Geno's that I linked to. This is a traditionally Italian-American neighborhood, but in the past 10 years significant amounts of both Vietnamese and Mexicans have moved in. That's who it's aimed at.

Let's put it this way -- it's not aimed at a wealthy tourist from France lacking a command of English. It's about demographic change in a specific area.

Thunter: The sign actually displayed the message in multiple languages.

Philly: I was talking about the other guy, I read the wikipedia article for Geno's and it does seem more racially motivated. The guy in North Carolina could be as well, but I was just giving my account of how frustrating it can be to deal with someone who doesn't have a way to communicate with you in even a half assed way.

Thunter: The sign actually displayed the message in multiple languages.

Philly: I was talking about the other guy, I read the wikipedia article for Geno's and it does seem more racially motivated. The guy in North Carolina could be as well, but I was just giving my account of how frustrating it can be to deal with someone who doesn't have a way to communicate with you in even a half assed way.

Alas dear, tis a fact of life in a nation of immigrants. I think it's just you've lived your life mostly in an area with low amounts of this. You should move to Queens, NY.

Seroconverted: Early 80sTested & confirmed what I already knew: early 90s

Current regimen: Atripla. Last regimen: Epzicom, Sustiva (since its inception with NO adverse side effects: no vivid dreams and NONE of the problems people who can't tolerate this drug may experience: color me lucky )Past regimensFun stuff (in the past): HAV/HBV, crypto, shingles, AIDS, PCP

Girl, please. Why should Queens have to put up with huh. She's more Staten Island.

Logged

"I have tried hard--but life is difficult, and I am a very useless person. I can hardly be said to have an independent existence. I was just a screw or a cog in the great machine I called life, and when I dropped out of it I found I was of no use anywhere else."

Girl, please. Why should Queens have to put up with huh. She's more Staten Island.

Just trying to expose her to a locality where you can hear 2.3 million residents speaking 138 different languages.

Now which specific Queens neighborhood should we stick her ass in? I bet some Columbian cousin of yours lives in Sunnyside. However I'm thinking it would be more amusing for her to run a porn shop with some Bengladeshis in Ozone Park.

If we stuck her in Staten Island all she'd be doing is watching Jersey Shore and hanging out with Susan Molinari.

So I really don't think this is "Those damned non english speaking people are ruining our country and I refuse to serve them!", but probably more along the lines of "I have no idea what you're trying to order and you will take up an inordinate amount of my time because of your inability to communicate with me in my native tongue".

I could be wrong, but I've been in the situation where someone was unable to speak, didn't speak english, had a cajun accent that was so thick that even I (a native louisianian) couldn't decipher what they were attempting to say. If you know that communication is going to be an issue why wouldn't you think ahead to bring something to write on/with, maybe a spanish-> English dictionary, or for the love of christ just point to pictures on the menu if there were any pictures.

It is obvious that you have not traveled to other countries, where you are the foreigner, because you do not speak the language. I've traveled extensively and even in France, I never encountered anyone who had a problem with the fact that I did not speak the local language. A little common sense goes a long way to bridging a communication gap without using language.

Just trying to expose her to a locality where you can hear 2.3 million residents speaking 138 different languages.

Now which specific Queens neighborhood should we stick her ass in? I bet some Columbian cousin of yours lives in Sunnyside. However I'm thinking it would be more amusing for her to run a porn shop with some Bengladeshis in Ozone Park.

If we stuck her in Staten Island all she'd be doing is watching Jersey Shore and hanging out with Susan Molinari.

Let's stick her southern belle ass in Far Rockaway or Southside Jamaica. They'll be glad to teach huh a lesson in diversity. My cousins in Astoria and Sunnyside (and the ones in Brooklyn --in Bensonhurst) would probably show her around and then abandon her somewhere near Bed-Stuy. Miss thang would love that.

Logged

"I have tried hard--but life is difficult, and I am a very useless person. I can hardly be said to have an independent existence. I was just a screw or a cog in the great machine I called life, and when I dropped out of it I found I was of no use anywhere else."

Let's stick her southern belle ass in Far Rockaway or Southside Jamaica. They'll be glad to teach huh a lesson in diversity. My cousins in Astoria and Sunnyside (and the ones in Brooklyn --in Bensonhurst) would probably show her around and then abandon her somewhere near Bed-Stuy. Miss thang would love that.

How did your cousins move into Bensonhurst? I knew that the Chinese were filtering into that Lucchese-Gigante-Gotti crime syndicate hood but now those cocaine snorting Columbians?

I know. My peeps are everywhere these days. Some of the Moonies of New York tend to have a particular aversion towards Jackson Heights so they have moved all over the city. The owner of this place is part of the extended family. I've never eaten there though, as I have heard from a cousin that their food is just ok.

Wow, Sasha Mitchell. Blast from the past.

Logged

"I have tried hard--but life is difficult, and I am a very useless person. I can hardly be said to have an independent existence. I was just a screw or a cog in the great machine I called life, and when I dropped out of it I found I was of no use anywhere else."

Some of the Moonies of New York tend to have a particular aversion towards Jackson Heights

They obviously don't understand and appreciate the nightly goings-ons at Club Atlantis with the transexual divas performing the latest hits from Shakira, much less the selections of Rick Astley (followed by Celia Cruz) on the jukebox at Friend's Tavern.

Speaking of same, I wonder how Queens Pride was last weekend. Used to be fab until they closed down Tragic Touch. Did I ever mention to you how Will LeMay used to dance in a thong on the bar before his modeling career took off? And honey, I used to CARRY in the basement VIP lounge.

They obviously don't understand and appreciate the nightly goings-ons at Club Atlantis with the transexual divas performing the latest hits from Shakira, much less the selections of Rick Astley (followed by Celia Cruz) on the jukebox at Friend's Tavern.

Speaking of same, I wonder how Queens Pride was last weekend. Used to be fab until they closed down Tragic Touch. Did I ever mention to you how Will LeMay used to dance in a thong on the bar before his modeling career took off? And honey, I used to CARRY in the basement VIP lounge.

Heh heh. Cha cha! Gotta love Atlantis.

You really know your way around the niuyorkinas.

Logged

"I have tried hard--but life is difficult, and I am a very useless person. I can hardly be said to have an independent existence. I was just a screw or a cog in the great machine I called life, and when I dropped out of it I found I was of no use anywhere else."